Thread-breaking device



E. E KDAHL. BREAKING Dev LED JULY 18.

, THREAD APPLICATIO 1,356,275. Patnted 0@u.19,1920.

Tw l 6 0 e UNITED STATES ALFRED EKDAHL, OE NASI'IUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

THREAD-BREAKING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1 9, 1920.

Application filed July 18, 1919. Serial No. 311,827.

To all to 7mm it may concern Be it known that I, ALFRED E. EKDAHL, of Nashua, in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, a citizen of the United States, have invented a new and useful improvement in Thread-Breaking Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in explaining its nature.

The present invention relates to a threadbreaking device for machines where two threads are employed and is especially adapted for spinning machines or the like where the separate threads are combined and wound on a single take-up spool. or bobbin. V

The object of my invention is to provide a simple positive device which will act an tomatically to break athread in case its companion thread becomes broken in the operation of the machine, thereby prevent ing the winding onto the take-up spool or bobbin of less than the combined threads My invention can best be seen and understood by reference to the drawings in which an embodiment thereof is shown,

Figure 1 showing the device in side elevation and in operative position;

Fig. 2 in front elevation;

F 3 in side elevation showing the position of the parts when operating to effect the breaking of the thread, and

Fig. at a plan of the device.

Referring to the drawings 1 represents a rail or fixture forming a part of the machine in connection with which the thread-breaking device is used and to which rail the device is attached.

2 represents the thread-breaking device itself. 1% represents feedrolls by which the threads are drawn through the device from any suitable source of supply (not shown) and fed to be woundarpon a take-up spool or bobbin (not shown). 4 and 5 represent the respective threads.

Referring now more particularly to the thread-breaking device itself, 6 represents an under flange-forming attachable portion otthe device preferably made of sheet metal and secured to the rail 1 in any suit able manner as by welding; This under portion of the device is provided with a top piece 7 presenting a top surface 8 forming a guide surface for the one 4: of the respective threads, the thread being directed by a fixed guide 9 to pass over this surface. Above the guide surfaceS presented by the device there rises a structure in the nature of a housing and comprising opposite side plates 10 and 11, respectively, a connecting top plate 12 joining the two sides and a back plate 13. The side plate 10 alone connects with the top piece 7, the plate rising from the side edge of this piece and forming the sole support for the housing. In this connection it will be observed that the side plate'll is a very short plate and the back plate 13 extends down to a point short of the surface 8 whereby the thread {i may pass beneath the lower end of the back plate as it is directed onto the surface 8 to pass over this surface.

Pivotally arranged between the side plates 10 and 11 of the housing is a blade 14 presenting a lower edge .15. The size and pivotal arrangement of this blade is such that it will occupy normally a gravitated position when the lower edge 15 of the blade will have engagement with the guiding surface 8 for the thread 4:. In fact, when the thread 4 is running over the guide surface 8 the normal gravitated position of the blade 14 issu'chthat the bottom edge of the blade will have engagement with the thread 4, the blade then occupying a position substantially normal to the thread. The resulting efiect is that the running thread will then assist in drawing the blade into an engaging position whenthe blade will act to bind the thread between its lower edge and the guide surface 8 and the thread will become broken as the machine in connection with which the device is used continues its operation. The disposition of the blade is further such that it is movable into a disengaging position, when'it will bear against the. rear side 13 of the housing which defines the disengaging position of the blade.

The blade is maintained to occupy a 'disengaging position or becomes released into an engaging position in the following manner: Secured to the side of the blade and projecting upwardly therefrom is a member 16 having an arm 17 over which the one 5 of the running threads is directed to pass. The tensional bearing of this thread acting upon the arm will operate to hold the blade in a disengaging position and to release the blade into an engaging position when the thread 5 becomes broken. The thread 5 is directed'to pass over the arm 17 by means of an auxiliary guide 18 on the rear side of the housing, the thread passing through the guide 18 over the top of the housing and thence over the arm 17.

For the purpose of preventing the release of the blade into an engaging position and untimely breaking of the thread f when slack occurs in the thread 5 due to vibrational disturbance or otherwise, there is em ployed a keeper or stay consisting of a member 19 secured to the side of the housing and provided with a turned end 20 beneath. which the thread 5 is directed to run. The keeper and arm 17 are so arranged that as the thread 5 slackens ermitting the arm 17 to lift, the lifting of the arm will carry the thread 5 with it and thereby form an acute angular bend in the thread 5 held as it is by the keeper. or stay. The effect is that while the slackening of the thread 5 permits the arm 17 to lift and the blade to turn in the direction of its engaging position, yet by reason of the acute angular bend in the thread 5, the slack in the thread is taken up and accordingly the arm 17 is not permitted to become elevated so high as to allow the blade to assume an engaging position and break the thread 4 as might otherwise be the case were the slackening in the thread 5 not compensated for.

In machines employing two threads, to which the present device is applicable, one of the threads is usually weaker than the other and breaks more easily. It is accordingly the weaker thread which is directed to pass, as the thread 5, over the arm. 17 which controls the blade so that as this weaker thread becomes broken the stronger thread will also become automatically broken and practically simultaneously with the breaking of the weaker thread through the operation of the blade asabove ex plained.

It is desirable, especially during the threading up of the device or piecing in of the thread or roving, that the blade be main tained in a disengaging position, and for this purpose there is provided a turned arm 21 fixed to a rod or shaft 22 which passes through the lower flanged portion 6 of the device. The arrangement is otherwise such that as the rod 22 is turned the arm 21 will be brought to bear against the blade moving it into a disengaging position and maintaining it in such position, as shown in 1, until released.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. A thread breaking device of the type specified having a part presenting a surface over which a running thread is directed to pass, a movable blade presenting an edge between which and said surface said thread may be bound and thereby become broken when said blade is released to occupy an engaging position, means for controlling said blade to occupy normally an engaging position and be movable therefrom to occupy a disengaging position, an arm connected to said blade over which another running thread is directed to pass whereby said blade may be maintained by the tensional bearing of said other thread against said arm in a disengaging position and released to assume an engaging position upon the breaking of said other thread and lifting of said arm, and means whereby said arm by the per mitted lifting thereof on the occurrence of slack in said other thread passing over the same may form an acute angular bend in said other thread.

2. A thread breaking device of the type specified having a part presenting a surface over which a running thread is directed to pass, a movable blade presenting an edge between which and said surface said thread may be bound and thereby become broken when said blade is released to occupy an engaging position, means for 'controlliilg said blade to occupy normally an engaging position and be movable therefrom to occupy a disengaging position, an arm connected to said blade over which another running thread is directed to pass whereby said blade may be maintained by the tensional bearing of said other thread against said arm in a disengaging position and released to assume an engaging position upon the breaking of said other thread and lifting of said arm, and a keeper beneath which said other thread is directed to pass, said keeper and arm cooperating with one another in manner whereby the arm by the permitted lifting thereof on the occurrence of slack in said other thread will form an acute angular bend in said other thread.

ALFRED E. EKDAHL. 

